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Santa Cruz: I'm off at end of the season

Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz has revealed he has informed the club that he wants to leave Ewood Park at the end of the season. The 27-year-old front-man has endured a frustrating season with both injuries and transfer speculation dominating the headlines rather than his goal-scoring. He has scored just six goals in 27 outings in all competitions, with former Rovers manager Mark Hughes seeing more than one bid to take the striker to Manchester City fail during the January transfer window. The Paraguayan - currently recovering from knee surgery - has been unable to assist Blackburn's bid to stay in the Premier League in recent weeks, with Sam Allardyce's side just one place and three points above the drop-zone. And he has revealed that he will seeking a move away from the club this summer, whatever division Rovers are in. "I have already told them and they know that before the transfer window closes I would like to continue my career at a bigger, more ambitious team," he told Radio Nanduti in his homeland.

Published

20 April 2009

"Even though I haven't heard anything, I haven't changed my mind.

"I think it will be very difficult for me to play again this season because of the recovery. Our last league match is on May 24 and I also need a couple of days for my knee to physically recover.

"I had to clean the zone where I had the cruciate ligament operation I had three or four years ago because there was some liquid there.

"When I had the tendonitis in the left knee, it made the other leg overwork. That's why it got worse and I needed the surgery.

"Now it is up to the knee. The recovery time is between four and six weeks and I will not hurry. The most important thing is to play without any problems."